Vehicle-tire.



A; M1 MMPARLAND. VEHXOLE TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1l, 1908.

Patented May 25, 1909. v

automa/M9 Uni E STAT nenni irren.

ALl/ISON M. MACFARLAND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MES-NE ASSIGNMENTS, OF FIFTEEN ONEHUNDREDI`HS'TO WILLIAM' W. G-IBBS, ONE ONE` HUNDREDTH TO CHARLES H. HEUSTIS, AND THREE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO WILLIAM W. WEIGLEY, ALL OI" PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND lSIXTY--FOUR ONE-HUN DREDTHS 'TO WILLIAM C. L. EGLIN AND JOSEPH B. MCCALL. i l

vEHroLnQ'rmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

v Patented May 25, 1909.

Application iiied July 11,` 190B. Serial No. v443,048.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALLis'oN M. MAGFAR- LAND, a citizen of the vUnited States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-lire, of which the following is a specification. p My invention relates tofa new and useful vehicle tire in which resiliency is obtained by a suspended member supported at vsuitable points around the'tire. y It further consists of a suspended member f suitably supported at yintervals around the tire, said member forming the su* port for a l5 second memberwhich supports tie tread of the tire.

y It further consists of means for adjusting the tension 'of the suspended member.

It further consists of new and novel supports for thesuspended member and the tread.

It further consists of novel details of con-A struction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth. 4

Figure. A1 represents a vertical sectional view of a portion oit' a vehicle tire embodying my invention. Fig, 2 represents a sectional,

view on line-:e-x Fig. 1. vFig. 3 represents a sectional view on line y-'Jy Fig. 1. Fig, 4 v represents a plan view of a portion of sus- Pended member showing three of the su ports. Fig. -5 represents aA sectional view oi a portion of the vehicle tire showing a slightly diiierent construction from that shown inthe other figures.

rSimilar numerals of reference indicate core responding parts in the figures.

vIteferringto the drawings. My invention consists' of a new form ,ofresilient vehicle tire 40 in which the resiliency is obtainedby tightly stretching a suspending,r member. between points of support, the load being applied be! tween the supports. In the form ofv construction herein. shown and described, a steel wire or cable is employed, points of support of suitable construction beinglocated at intervals. aroundtlie wheel and the wire orcahl'e, ..b.eing tightly drawn over them, the vportion. "otj the: tightly drawn wire between the '5) .supprtsi l ossessing resilience of high degree,

duejfto-t ver'elasticity rof the wire which, though; slightinra short section, is suiicie'nt for the pur ose ina wheel of ordinary ciroum-v ference. n case the elasticity of the suspending medium is not sufficient to Apermit y the desired deiiection, additional resilience may be secured by providing a slight spring etlect in the points of support.

The supports may be provided with meansA Afor adjustment, as desired, to increase or ad 60 y just the tension oii't-liecables or suspending. members or to take up any slack due to stretching of the same. y As it is necessary in a rotating wheel to provide a continuous resilieiitsuiface and as the above described construction only provides a' resilient surface between the points of support, I have in the described instance used two series of suspending'cables, the points of support for the outer seriesbeing superimposed on the inner suspending cables at points substantially midwaybetwoenthe supports of the inner cable.v By these means a continuous resiliont circumference is provided, it being noted that both the points of support and the intermediate portion of the outer cables will possess the saine resilient qualities.

l In order that the resistancehto deflection may be the'sanie at all points on the circumference and also that the circumference may these pads is located` the casing or tread olE the tire, covering all andinaliing a smooth continuous ,surface 'In the construction describedtlie traction of the wheel is transferred to the road by means of a leather 1 cover but, as explained elsewhere, this is notv 90' necessary in allcases. y

In the drawings,` l have shown a construction which I have found in practice operates successfully but it will be evident that thel parts maybe varied,- tlie arrangement of the 9.5 i

same may be altered and other instrumentalities may beeniployed, which will come 'l within the scope et" the' invention and I do i not therefore desire tosbe limited in every' instances to the 'exactt'orin as herein shown loo y and described but desire te ,A alie such changes as may be .necessary l 1 designates' a. riin rformed' of suitable Die.; y 'lia'h preferably Steel, aiidwhich is seemed:

to the rim of the 4wheel in any suitable or desired manner. Projecting from the rim are the flanges or sides 2 and 3 which are preferably of steel and which can be made integral with the rim 1 or secured thereto, in any desired manner. At intervals around the rim I provide cleats 4 which are riveted or otherwise secured to the said rim 1 and which serve to hold the sides 2 and 3 in properposition. Between the sides 2 and 3 and adjacent the rim 1,1 place supports for the suspended member, which supports, in the present instance, consist ofcrollers 5 which are preferably provided 'with the grooves or serrations 6 in their faces and which rollers are provided with set/screws 7 which pass through the steel rim land are preferably in threaded engagement therewith, so that by the rotation of the set screws the 'position of the rollers 2 can be adjusted with respect to the rim for the effect of tightening or adjusting the tension of this suspended medium, as will be hereinafter described.

8 designates bolts which pass through the sides 2 and 3 and: through the rollers 5 and will assist in preventing improper movement of the rollers. y

9 designates a suspended member which in the present instance consists of'a plurality of wire ropes or cables which are seated' in the grooves 6 in the rollers 5, and as these cables are continuous and tightly drawn around the tire they hold the rollers 5 against the rim 1, said. rollers serving as the supi ports for the cables or Wire ropes so that the portion thereof between the support lwill be resilient. By adjusting the position of the rollers to or away from the steel rim 1 the tension of the cables will be correspondingly adjusted. p

10 designates a second series of rollers situated between the sides 2 and 3 and pass# ing through which are the bolts r11 which serve to hold the said rollers 10 in osition, it being noted that one of each of said rollers 10 and said bolts 11 is situated substantially midway between two adjacent rollers 5 and that the said rollers 10 bearv upon the cable or suspended member 9' at this point so that said rollers 10 are resiliently supported by said suspended member 9, it being understood that the bolt 11 while permitting rocking movement of the rollers revents improper movement thereof and t at said rollers are preferably provided with grooves 12 upon their outer faces in which are adapted to be seated or receiyed a second sus ended member formed of' a' series or plura 'ty of ropes orcables 13, it being understood that lthese cables are thus suspended at intervals around the entire circumference of the tire. As will -be clearly understood from Fig. 1' by reason of the spaces between the rollerslO,

the cables 13 will be straight or substantially so, tlherebetween, and

in order. to provide a properly rounded tread'for the tire, I provide a leather pad 14 which is superimposed upon the cable 13, and upon the outer surface of the pad, I provide a leather band 15 and at intervals thereon with suitable spaces therebetween are placed the metal cleats 16 which are provided with the flanged edges 17.

18 designates a casing which surrounds the paits just described, the edges of which 'extend upon preferably the outer side of the sides 2 and 3 andare held in position by bolts 11, as shown in the drawings, although it will be understood that if desired other provisions may be made. It will-be understood therefore that I do not desire to be limited in the particular manner of securing the casing to the sides, but that any desired means may be employed for this purpose, it being noted that in Figs. 2 and 3, metal cleats 2 and 8 hold the casing in proper position and it being further understood that I preferably form this casing of leather. Upon the exterior of thecasing I mount a band 19 which is preferably of leather provided with metal studs 20 projecting from vthe face thereof which serve as the tread for the tire, and furnishes a surface for the traction which may be applied to the road bed, the metal studs pr buttons giving a metal wear-resisting surace.

' In order to accommodate the heads of the b ol-ts 8 and 11, I have shown the metal rings or washers 21 and 22 for this purpose. In the construction shown in Fig. 5, I'have provided a steel spring rim 23 between the rollers 5 and the lim 1, which spring rim furnishes a further resilient support for the rollers 5, as will be evident. The rollers 5and 10 may be retainedl in position and their travel limited by any suitable means and the said rollers may be made of thin section to pro` vide a certain amount of spring or resiliency in themselves which maybe utilized if vde- It is understood that the ends of the cables are connected in any suitable or desired manner to make a continuous cable. I desire it understood that I do not limit myself tothe exact form of construction herein set forth but wish to emphasize and call attention to the fact that the underlying principle of this invention consists of employing a tightly drawn suspending member ormedium which may consist of' steel wires or cables or. other suitable form ofsuspending medium tightly drawnv over points of support. The form of casing or tread-employed may vary to suit conditions and may consist of any desired sired to add to the resiliency of the cables.

or well known form of construction employing any ofthe materials used for such-purpose, provlded that the resilient feature-is arranged by tightly drawn suspended cables or other from of suspended medium. vAlso :details may be varied such as employing or not employing various ldevices to regu ate the at interva tension of the-cables or to add to theirresistance when necessary or to provide means for attaching the ends 'of such cables, etc.

Havin thus ydescribed my invention, what I'c aim as new and desire `to secure by Letters Patent, is:-- l

1. In a vehicle'tire, alternately disposed rollers, suspended members engaged.` with said rollers, and means for bodily adjusting' one set of rollersto 'vary the tension ofthe suspended members. f

2. In a vehicle tire, a plurality of sets of suspended members, supports thereforuin sets, one set upon the inner side of v one of the suspended members and the other set upon the other side thereof and between the two and means for-independent adjustment of each support in one of said sets.

3. vln a vehicletire, a suspended member,

rocking sulpports for said member situated s around said tire, eccentrically disposed means'for holdingsaid ,su ports against displacement and means for liodily adjusting said supports.

4. In a vehicle tire, a suspended member, supports therefor situated' at intervals around the tire, means actingl directlyv on 'said supports for independent adjustment thereof with relationV to said member, a second suspended member,` supports therefor bearingu on'saidiirst-mentioned member between t ie supports thereof, and means for holding the arts in vproper position.

- 5. vIn a vehic e tire, a suspended member,

supports therefor situated at lintervals around. the tire, means acting directly on said supports for independent adjustmentA thereof with -relation to. said member, a second suspended member, supports there# forbearing uponsaid` first-mentioned member between the supports thereof, means for holding the parts in proper position, a casing surrounding the parts andI a yieldable support for the second suspended niemberbetween the latter and said'casing.

6. ln aveliicle tire, a suspended member, adjustable supports therefor, situated at in-. tervals around the tire,v a second suspended member, supports' therefor bearing upon, Vsaid first mentioned .member between the supports thereof, means for holding the parts in proper position, and a pad superimposed onv said second mentioned suspended member.

7,. ln a vehicle tire, a suspended member, supports therefor situated at intervals around the tire, a second suspended member, supports therefor, bearing upon said A first mentioned-member between the sup-i ports thereof, means for holding the parts .in proper position, a pad carried by saidQ second mentioned member, cleats on'said pad andl a easing for holding the parts in proper position.

8. In a vehicle tire, a plurality of rollers suitably supported at intervals around the tire, cables i supported by said rollers, a plurality of rollers supported by said cables j at points between the first mentioned rollers,

`,cables supported by said second-mentioned rollers, said cables-being oppositely inclined between the rollers ofA the opposed sets, and

ads in said last mentioned cables and fitted l inthe inclined spaces between'the cable and the casing.- y f 9. ln a"\`r"'ehicleA tire,` a plurality of rollers suitably supported at intervals. around the tire, cables supported by said rollers, a plurality of rollers sup orted by said cables at points between the 'irst mentioned rollers,

cables sup orted by said second mentioned rollers, pa s on said last-mentioned cables, said cables being oppositely inclined between the rollers of said sets, and a casing 4for holding the parts in position, said pads conforming Fto the inclination of the cable between each setv of rollers.

10. In .a vehicle tire, a plurality of rollers suitablysupported at intervals around the tire, cables supported by .said rollers, a

" plurality of rollers supported by said cables at points between the rst mentioned rollers, cables supported by said second mentioned rollers, pads on said last mentioned cables, cleats supported'by said pads, a casing for holding the parts in position and a suitabletread for' tlie tire.

1l. In a vehicle tire, a rim. having sides,

ALLisoN M. MAOFARLAND.

Witnesses:

WM. CAnER WiEbERsEiM, C.- D. MCVAY, 

